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Not even a full two days into my trip, and I was already going full Jane Austen.
To be published in May 1st, 2018 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
e-ARC provided by the publisher on Edelweiss+
Genres: teen & YA fiction, teen & YA romance
Themes: royalty, prince, princess, sibling rivalry, love-hate relationship, Scotland
My synopsis: When Daisy Winters’ perfect sister, Ellie, got engaged to the prince and future king of Scotland, her life didn’t quite turn upside-down, though a little topsy-turvy. Suddenly, her entire summer plan is changed from spending time with her best friend, Isabel, to spending time with the younger Prince Seb and his equally roguishly charming and handsome friends dubbed the Royal Wreckers. Far from being the silent observer, Daisy, or Lady Daze as she will later come to be called, somehow gets tangled up with the royals and the next thing she knows, every eye is on her even before she makes the headlines… and never to disappoint, she does.
Though not a princess, Daisy Winters is funnier than Mia Thermopolis of The Princess Diaries. Good thing, too, because that’s probably the saving glory of Royals – that and the wonderful Scotland. Filled with cliches, some even pointed out by Daisy herself, it is too predictable. The perfect sister, the seemingly regular but witty and hilarious main character/narrator, princes, castles, balls, love triangles – the list goes on, and if you’re sold (or unsold) at this point by now, I don’t have to go on.
I really really wanted Daisy to end up with Seb, and not Miles who was the obvious option – obvious because of the relatively longer description of Miles when Daisy first laid eyes on him, plus Seb’s noticeable total indifference to Daisy’s charm while Miles is all-eyes with a scowl (Mr. Darcy much? ring any bells, Jane Austen fans?). Even Flora and Tamsin’s love affair is no surprise, nor Seb being unrequitedly smitten with Ellie a.k.a. his brother’s fiance.
Needless to say, if you’re looking for a fresh YA romance, this is not the book for you. Meanwhile, if you’re like me and just want a lighthearted read though a fairly predictable ending – Royals will not disappoint.
BONUS blog post coming up: 11 Things I learned from Royals
Book Dragon Lair 